Unspoken Ardour
by Riku-Rocks
Summary: Years before Kingdom Hearts, Zack learns that his friend Sephiroth has more secrets then he ever imagined. Now some of those secrets are learned and will change both men's lives forever. Neither man has ever been happier. Not slash. No KH spoilers. Seph/o


_Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, nor am I making any financial profit from this story, hence why it is __fan__ fiction._

_Author's Note: This story was prompted by a request from Jao Ensatsu Kokuryuha. Who wanted to see Zack find out that Sephiroth was seeing someone (of my choosing), as well as his reactions to this news. This takes place nearly sixteen years before the events of the first game. Please remember that this is Kingdom Hearts fan fiction, not Final Fantasy VII, so some facts may be altered. _

_I hope you like this, Super Pup._

_-Tifa.

* * *

_

"Hey, General…" Zack rubbed the back of his neck as his best friend and superior glanced up from the report he was filing on their latest assignment. "I was wondering if I could get in a request for an extra day off next week. There are a few things I want to try to do before we get in all those newbies to train."

"We aren't going to have very much leave time for a few months once we pick out the ones with some actual promise," agreed the silver-haired man with a slight nod. The slightest hint of a smirk graced his lips as he met his friend's eyes. "I've scheduled you with two extra days free. Enjoy your time with her…Aerith, correct?"

Violet eyes blinked. "Yeah…thanks, Seph. So, it's already set then? When did you-"

The sea green-eyed man waved off his friend's surprise before he closed and sealed the file he had filled out. "I merely assumed that you would want the extra time and saved myself the trouble of trying to pass through a late request for leave."

Zack smiled and followed the other man into the hall of Dr. Hojo's research centre. "Hey, I'm not that bad right? At least I didn't wait until next week."

"It will be next week in a day and a half and we are supposed to fill out such requests two weeks in advance."

"So you thought of me wanting to spend time with Aer before we got swamped two weeks ago?" The violet-eyed man looked pensive for a moment, and then he caught his friend's quirked eyebrow. "Not that I don't appreciate that, but it isn't like you."

"Don't I normally try to plan operates out in advance?" Sephiroth questioned evenly, but there was underlying tone to his voice that Zack had never heard before…until recently.

"Well yeah, that part is definitely you, but you usually aren't so…" The raven-haired man sighed, smiled, and raised a hand defensively. "Okay, now don't take this the wrong way, you know I love you and all, but you usually aren't so in tuned to other people's feelings. Or at least, you don't let on that you are."

The silvered man smiled softly and shook his head as they left the building. "Aren't you the one who always tells me that friends help one another and that I need to 'lighten up and live a little'?"

Zack nodded slightly. "Yes, but you've never listened to me before."

"I've never helped you out before?" Sephiroth asked flatly.

"Okay, you got me there, but;" The violet-eyed man sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced behind him. They had left the centre entirely now. "Look, something been different with you lately. I think it's a good change, but it's weird not knowing what it is…and I can't figure out why you're hiding whatever it is."

A silver eyebrow quirked again, "Was there a question in that rambling?"

The lieutenant narrowed his eyes slightly. "What's going on with you? As a friend, I want to know. I also want to know what the second day is for."

"Very good, Zackary;" The silvered man smiled lightly again. Now Zack was beginning to feel creeped-out. "I wish to go somewhere for a day but I cannot have any of our superiors or Dr. Hojo's associates learning of this. It is…complicated."

"You want an alibi?" The younger SOLDIER stopped walking for a moment. "That's a switch. Well yeah, I'll cover you…you've done it enough times for me, but what are you actually going to be doing?"

Sephiroth paused as well, but did not turn around as he answered. "Do you recall Dr. Hilargi Akeru…the scientist that recently transferred from Dr. Hojo's staff?"

"Yeah, that was kind of weird; most scientists are dying to get on Dr. Hojo's staff...and Dr. Akeru's future here looked really promising. Of course, I heard she's working under one of the apprentices of Ansem the Wise now, so that's got o be at least equal from a scientist's point of view." Violet eyes suddenly widened and Zack took a few steps forward to stand beside his friend. "Are you running more tests? What's-"

"No Zackary, I'm alright. This is not at all like the instance I am sure you're thinking of." The general turned and feline-like eyes met violet passively. "She and I are meeting for more personal reasons. I am afraid that is the reason why she transferred out. Although you were right, working in Ansem's centre has more prestige than Dr. Hojo's does for a scientist. Besides, she'd soon like to retire into healing and Ansem's centre will serve better towards that end.."

Zack only started at his friend for a moment. He was clearly shocked, but he was putting all the pieces together swiftly. "That's where you keep disappearing to…and she left…when did all of this start? After you met for that assignment Dr. Hojo needed you on?"

"Yes." Sephiroth was clearly giving the younger man time to organise his thoughts.

"That's a pretty long time…why didn't you say anything sooner?" The question was not asked cruelly or suspiciously. The raven-haired man clearly knew the question was important.

"I am not like you Zackary." The silvered man's tone was smooth and even. He was merely speaking a truth. "You know that my existence was not brought about the normal way. While Hilargi and I were working together…I discovered something else. I believe Dr. Hojo may have, or make, further plans for me. Were I ever to have a family or have obvious loved ones, he might think to include them in those plans. …Whether they wished to be included or not; you know how the man thinks about his work."

"Yeah…morals aren't an issue with him." The violet-eyed man was pensive and slightly saddened for a moment. Then he glanced at his friend questioningly. "Then why are you telling me now? Or rather, what aren't you telling me yet?"

"The favour I need to ask of you is not merely an alibi;" replied the sea green-eyed man as they walked into the large valley that separated both Ansem's castle and research centre and Dr. Hojo's research centre and lab from the general city. "We are getting married Zackary. It has to remain a secret, but we need a witness for it to be legally binding. We discussed it, and we would both like you to be that witness. I would like you to be there in any case."

"I- You're- Whoa…" Zack appeared to be in complete shock for a moment, and then his face cracked with a large grin. "Of course I'll be there. That's great Seph. I can't believe….wait." The lieutenant looked thoughtful again. "If it has to be a secret, then why are you even doing it? That's not like you. You don't care for meaningless titles…not that this is in any way meaningless, but you know what I'm getting at."

The older man appeared torn between irritation at the nickname and relief at his friend's support before he decided against acknowledging either in favour of simply answering Zack's question. "We are getting married, even though no one can know besides us and you, because we want to. I know it is unlike me and that it makes little sense, but think of what you would do with Aerith if you were in my position."

The violet-eyed man nodded with a serine smile. "I would marry her anyway too. I'm proud of you Seph; you're finally learning to lighten up and live. I'll take your asking me to basically be your best man as a sign of you acknowledging all that I have done to encourage you in that regards."

"I'm pleased that you feel honoured," stated the silver-haired man levelly before he stopped walking. A flash of an emotion Zack had never seen in those feline-like eyes disappeared before the younger could think on it. "Because there is one more thing I must ask of you…of course this has to remain a secret as well."

"Of course," Zack waved off any doubt that might linger in the air on that. Then he paused. "Hold on a second…why does the marriage have to be a secret? It's not as if Dr. Hojo could use Dr-uh, Hilargi in his experiments. She isn't part of the project…what could he do?"

"That brings us to the final secret I am entrusting you with." Sephiroth seemed almost sad at first, but then a slight smile touched his lips and his eyes lit up in a way Zack had never seen before. "We are going to have a child."

The young SOLDIER's mouth actually dropped open. "You're gonna have a little mini-Seph?"

The older man was again torn at his friend's choice of title. "It's far too early to know any such details, Other than the fact that the child is mine."

"That's wonderful, Seph. Congratulations! I cannot believe all of this. Damn, when you decide to-" The bright smile that had highlighted Zack's entire face suddenly fell. "_Your _child…if Dr. Hojo ever found out, that kid would be put through hell… What about public records…the priest…checkups throughout the pregnancy? If anyone finds out you're married, then it's only natural to suspect that you're the father. What is Hilargi going to say when people ask her anyway? Someone's bound to wonder…is that what you wanted to ask me? I'll say I'm the dad, but I'd have to explain to Aer. I'm sure she won't tell anyone. She-"

"Stop, Zackary. While I appreciate that more than you will ever know; it is not what I was going to ask you." Sephiroth looked genuinely touched as he regarded his friend. "What I want is for you to be the child's godparent. You are the only one I can truly trust in that position."

Zack's smile returned slightly. "Man Seph, you're just full of surprises, aren't you? I'd love to be the godfather. I can teach him to swordfight, about Gaia, and tell him all kinds of stories about the stuff we've done and seen… What about my other questions though? She can probably get away without too many details, especially at first, but eventually someone's bound to have the gall to ask about the father."

The silvered male nodded. "Hilargi often goes to Esthar, for work and pleasure. She has a friend there she often sees, but no one here has any knowledge of them beyond that. She is going to lead others to believe that the friend was in fact a man with whom she was romantically involved. If she is ever forced to give details, which she will avoid normally, she will claim that he is the father but that they are no longer in one another's good graces."

"Is the friend actually a man?" questioned the raven-haired man.

"No Zackary, and yes, I am certain that I'm the father;" Sephiroth stated before Zack could ask, which the younger man was pleased by. The silvered man looked slightly worried as he added, "I can feel it."

The violet-eyed man drew his brows in concern as well. "You can feel him? The baby…already; is that- Have the cells affected him?"

"I believe they have been passed to my child, yes." Feline-like eyes look slightly distant before silver brows furrowed and Sephiroth looked at his friend again. "Why do keep referring to the child as a male? I told you, it's far too soon to tell."

"It just sounds right," replied the raven-haired man with a shrug. "Even if it didn't, could you honestly see the two of us with the little girl?"

Sea green eyes merely stared for a moment. "Let us hope your assumption on the child's gender is correct."

"Yeah;" The two men continued walking through the valley towards the town now; both smiling lightly. "So, you obviously can't name him Seph junior."

"Obviously," conceded Sephiroth flatly.

Zack smirked. "Well, how about naming him Zack?"

"You realise that would make you the first suspect when people begin to question about the father, as you seem to plan on spending a good deal of time with him." A small smile was still present on the silvered man's face despite his indifferent tone.

"Well of course I'm going to spend a lot of time with him; he's my godson." Zack's grin also remained in place. "Besides, if you're the only one spending a lot of time with Hilargi's son, then people will start to suspect that he's yours. However, if we're both seen with him in public, then they'll just think we became friends with Hilargi while working with her and are helping her out."

Sephiroth nodded with a slightly impressed expression. "That is a sound theory…"

"Hey, don't sound so surprised, you know I'm smarter than that." The younger looked mockingly thoughtful. "But you're right…the name is pushing it. Best keep it as his middle name. People at work know we're friends and if they see us spending a lot of time with a little mini-Seph named Zack whose father is unknown, it'll still point to you being that father."

"So aside from his gender, you've also decided that my future child will look like me?"

His friend's dry tone did not appear to faze the young SOLDIER. "I'm sure they'll be some of Hilargi in there too, but I think he'll resemble you more than her. Let's just hope he has her eyes…as far as shape goes anyway. It'd be cool if the colour was in-between, then they'd look like the sea after sunrise on a clear day."

"You would like that." The older man's tone was still wry.

The violet-eyed man grinned broadly. "Yeah and just think, after I tell him how great it is at the beach, he'll want us to take him. Then he'll love it too and you'll have to take him every summer. It'll be nice to see you with a tan."

Sephiroth shook his head slightly, but a small smile still remained on his features. "I never thought I would be having this conversation. You have my gratitude, Zackary."

Zack smiled. "You know, I didn't either, but it's a good thought. Thanks for telling me…and letting me be the godfather."

"I'm pleased that you like the position," commented the silver-haired man. "Try not to say it in public though. It will be somewhat curious for you to be the godfather of Hilargi's child with a man you never met."

"You know I won't make that slip." The silvered man nodded and the raven-haired haired man offered a more sympathetic smile. "It'll all work out somehow Seph. And no matter what, we won't let those bastards touch him, okay?"

Sephiroth nodded again and his eyes took on a slightly serene quality. "And you were honestly surprised that I wanted you to be my child's godparent."

Zack shrugged. "Well when you say it like that, it does seem like it should have been obvious. You know this means you're now obligated to accept when I ask you to be the best man at my wedding, right? …And Mini-Seph can be the ring bearer."

Sephiroth merely inclined his head slightly and then listened with a quiet smile as Zack continued making plans for what they would do together, with their wives, and with his son in the future.


End file.
